Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Nuit Debout Avignon

"Fight power, not people"

I hadn't been in Avignon for a few weeks so I obviously missed out on some action : I only just discovered some graffiti that have appeared on the pavement of Popes' Palace square - undoubtly in connection with the Nuit Debout Avignon movement which regularly fills up the square - check out their facebook page. I'd be curious to hear what my foreign readers have to say about it: did your local media report about the Nuit Debout movement in France? In what way?

Red arrow pointing to a paving stone, with the comment: "here's how to cast your ballot".
Further up you can read "Give Power to People" and on the right, next to a rainbow flag:
"Why are you scare about Gay?" (poor English, I know but they didn't ask for my help :))
and on the left, gurgling from a weird man's mouth, the four letters ANAR for Anarchy.

And a poster found on a wall not far from there, as relevant now as it ever was :
"Capitalism destroys the planet. Let's change the system, not the climate! www.npa2009.org"
(NPA stands for New Anticapitalist Party)

Nothing whatever, even, to my knowledge, our broadminded National Public Radio. I do not see a way for even people this well-intentioned to overcome self-interest and wealth. Short-sighted self-interest seems to be woven into us. I was a good genetic strategy once but, of course, it is counter-productive now. Our conditions have changed - or, should I say - we have changed out conditions faster than evolution can change us.

I have become a pessimist as I have grown older, coming to the conclusion that ecological catastrophe is more likely than not. The timing is impossible to predict but I fear for my grandchildren.

I have not heard this reported over here. Though we do have ongoing public debates about human rights, immigrants, gays and, most recently, which toilet transgender people should use! Everyone is nervous about where the results of our next general election will take us.....

@ Molly - yes I heard this debate about which toilet transgender people should use. What a bloody waste of time and energy. Let them go where they feel comfortable, end of story! As far as I know transgender people aren't into sexual harassment at all, so what's the fuss? What have people got to fear?

@ Bob - like you 1 fear for our grand-children and I find it difficult to see the way out. But you know what? This is why I think it's good that we older people finally die and get out of the way because the younger ones out there will have ideas and solutions that we can't even envisage. We're becoming pessimists but they're full of energy. Yes they can! :)

After six years in Australia and five years of city life in Avignon I moved to the countryside near the small village of Beaumes-de-Venise. Once dedicated to street photography my blog has since taken a more rural note but the beautiful region of Provence is an constant source of inspiration.